This delicious baked potato soup is loaded with bacon, onions, diced potatoes, and sour cream & topped with crispy bacon, crunchy scallions, and cheddar cheese to make this the creamiest, stick-to-your-bones soup!

Have you ever been asked the question, what is the one food you could eat every day for the rest of your life? Mine is potatoes, hands down. Mashed potatoes, baked potato, roasted potatoes, potato pancakes, scalloped potatoes, hash browns, potato skins, french fries… need I go on? The traditional baked potato with ALL the toppings just might be at the top of my list. And that’s why this soup is one of my favorite comfort foods, because it’s basically a loaded baked potato in soup form. Have I convinced you yet to add it to your menu? You must!

I usually prefer to use Yukon Gold potatoes in this soup. They don’t fall apart as easily while cooking like some other potatoes do, and I’m so big on texture. I love this soup with diced potatoes rather than have the potatoes mashed up a bit. Also, I always peel mine because I don’t like the taste of the peel in the soup. But if you want to keep the peel on, just give them a good scrub first.

All your favorite baked potato flavors are packed into this hearty, comforting soup! This soup is definitely filling and usually eaten like a meal for myself, but some buttered baguette would go great alongside it or even a side salad.

Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS

• 10 slices bacon
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth (divided)
• 2 cups milk, warmed
• 1.5 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & diced small
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (plus more for topping)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, or more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• optional toppings: thinly-sliced scallions, extra shredded cheese, bacon, sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 400F and line a cookie sheet with tinfoil or use a wire rack. Place bacon on it & bake for 20 min or until desired crispness. 
2. Place 3 tablespoons butter in a large stockpot over med-high heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Stir in the garlic and sauté for an extra 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour on top of the onion, and stir until combined. Saute for an additional minute to cook the flour, stirring occasionally. Then stir in two cups of the chicken broth until combined. Stir in the milk & potatoes until combined. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches a simmer, but not boiling.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally to every few minutes so that the bottom does not burn.  (The smaller you dice your potatoes, the faster they will cook.) Soup mixture will be pretty thick, go ahead & slowly add the last cup of chicken broth and stir gently. 
4. When the potatoes are soft, stir in the cheddar cheese and sour cream, kosher salt and pepper.  Taste and see if it needs more salt or pepper.
5. Serve warm & top with desired toppings.